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Checked bag fees are annoying for passengers and the TSA alike.

Checked bag fees have turned many air travelers into Mary Poppins, with carry-on bags that can be jam-packed with a week's worth of clothing, toiletries, electronics, reading material, an umbrella and a spoon full of sugar -- and still fit in an overhead bin (with some shoving). Overhead bins weren't designed with a plane full of Poppins in mind (since she has traditionally had other means of air travel), so the space always runs out, meaning annoyances for passenger who have to shove their things under the seat in front of them or check their bags at the gate. The jam-packed bags ares also annoying for TSA officers, said TSA chief John Pistole at a speech for defense lawyers on Friday. These bags are so densely packed that imaging machines can't properly see through them.

"It's harder to inspect what's in there," said Pistole, who was introduced to the group as the holder of the "toughest, most thankless, least understood job in America." "When you hear about things getting through security, that's part of the reason why."

TSA administrator John Pistole

This is not the first time that airlines' checked-bag fees have been raised as a troublesome issue for airline security. Earlier this year, the U.S Travel Association suggested that the government force airlines to make the first checked bag a freebie in order to reduce the number of bags that need to be screened in security lines and make the process go faster.

"There's always opinions about what we're doing and how we're doing it," said Pistole, whose agency, which will be celebrating its 10-year anniversary on November 19th, seems to draw more negative attention than a passenger with the same name as someone on the No-Fly list.

Pistole's talk at the annual DRI conference was on the "evolution and future of the TSA" from the good old pre-9/11 days of metal detectors -- "You probably remember nostalgically being able to walk out to the gate and meet your friends or family," said Pistole -- to the current state of airport security, including whole-body imaging scanners and intimate touching by TSA officers rather than loved ones. As for what the future holds, Pistole said the distant future holds the possibility of liquid screens that might allow us to carry wine and perfume on planes. For the immediate future, the agency is testing out less intensive security screens that the rest of us might one day enjoy, as long as we're willing to volunteer more information about ourselves in advance of flying.

The TSA began running the "PreCheck" pilot this month at four airports (Miami, Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Detroit). Frequent fliers with Delta and American Airlines can go through a pre-check, and be pre-screened using TSA watchlists. If they're found to be low-risk travelers, they're allowed to go to dedicated security lanes where they get to keep on their jackets, shoes, and belts, and can keep their liquids in their bags. Pistole said they've had 40,000 people go through since the beginning of the month and that they've "had success with it." The reason Delta and American scored the pilot partnership is because their systems are compatible TSA's Secure Flight system, said Pistole.

Other changes TSA is embracing: showing a generic body when performing "naked scans" and allowing kids to keep their shoes on and not be patted down. Pistole admitted that it was a hassle for parents to take their kids' shoes off. "And given their size, you can't put much explosive material in their shoes anyway," he added.

Taking a cue from Israel, the TSA is also trying to be more chatty. "[Israeli airport security officers] engage people in conversation," said Pistole. "For a few months now, we've been having officers at Boston Logan and now Detroit engage the person, make conversation and see how they respond. Do they make eye contact? Do they seem nervous?"

"I'm trying to build a system that has more com men sense and rationality that enhances security by allowing us to focus on the higher risks," said Pistole. And hopefully, it will be a system that involves less full-body touching.